Free Professional Dog Training for adopted dogs!
If you adopt a dog from a shelter, humane society, or rescue group, and live in Santa Barbara County, you are eligible for this great offer!




Our Mission Statement
The mission of K-9 Placement and Assistance League, Inc. (K-9 PALS) is to provide humane care, forever homes, and advocacy for homeless and abandoned dogs in Santa Barbara county shelters and other dogs in need so that every dog will have a chance for a permanent loving home.

Introduction, History, Goals, and Accomplishments
K-9 PALS is the all-volunteer, non-profit organization that provides resources and services for dogs of the Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelters and for dogs taken into K-9 PALS Sanctuary Dog Program. Dogs that are taken into K-9 PALS all live in foster homes until adopted, or in the case of hospice dogs who will live out their lives in a forever foster homes.

K-9 PALS operates solely on donations to help achieve their mission. K-9 PALS does NOT receive government subsidies, or any other animal organization.

The K-9 PALS organization was founded in 2000, incorporated in December 2001, and received tax exempt 501c3 non profit status in July 2002. K-9 PALS volunteers provide nearly 14,000 hours of service annually, which is equivalent to almost 5 full time employees.

K-9 PALS provides veterinary care, daily comforts, daily supplies and medical equipment, dog behavior training, adoption promotion, rescue, adoptions, and advocacy for homeless and abandoned dogs in the Santa Barbara county shelters, and other dogs in need.

Since the first day of K-9 PALS' existence the organization has assisted the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter in Santa Barbara to be able to be successful in returning more than 70% of the dogs to their owners and to maintain a 91% or greater live release rate for Santa Barbara County Animal Shelters' dogs. From 2011 to the present, K-9 PALS has expanded efforts to also provide resources and programs to the Santa Barbara County Shelters in Santa Maria and Lompoc.

Goals
K-9 PALS current goal is to provide dogs in county animal shelters with our resources of veterinary care, behavior training, daily supplies and medical equipment, adoption promotions, transport, and rescue in order to increase live release rates and reduce unnecessary euthanasia of shelter dogs.

Objectives

1. Promote placement of shelter dogs into homes through return to owner, adoption, and rescue.

2. Advocate for the welfare of the dogs in shelters.

3. Provide resources for shelter dogs for their veterinary care, health, comfort, and behavior modification, adoption promotions, rescue and relocation to no kill shelters.

4. Promote responsible pet ownership, provide public education for responsible pet ownership, and provide dog behavior training for dog adopters, and shelter employees and volunteers.

5. Work with like-minded shelters and rescue groups to accomplish high live release rates for shelters in our communities.

K-9 PALS provides high quality veterinary care, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic treatments, surgical care, and suppplies that would otherwise not be available for shelter dogs.

K-9 PALS volunteers organize and participate in fundraising events, adoption awareness events, and outreach events, provide adoption and rescue networking, and transport for shelter and rescue dogs.

K-9 PALS volunteers assist the county shelters with high quality daily care for the dogs that include behavior enrichment, training, exercising and socializing, bathing, and kennel enrichment.

K-9 PALS has constructed several areas on the property of the Santa Barbara County Shelter: the Visitor's Garden/Meet & Greet Area where prospective adopters can meet dogs for adoption, the K-9 PALS Dog Training area - a large fully fenced area for dog training, several exercise/play yards for the dogs, and the K-9 PALS storage building for dog supplies.

K-9 PALS was involved in a collaborative effort with Santa Barbara County for the renovation of the Santa Barbara Shelter's main kennel building in 2007. This included K-9 PALS' substantial monetary donation of $146,500 for the renovation which included a completely new roof and new dog kennels. This K-9 PALS donation was made possible by funding from the estates of John J. Phelan and Susan M. Camusi.

K-9 PALS gratefully receives donations and funding from individuals, groups, organizations and local businesses, and grant awards from foundations and charitable trusts.

Board of Directors of K-9 PALS is comprised of a group of people who have great compassion, interest and experience in working for the welfare of abandoned dogs, and their combined time working with animal shelters and rescue organizations is more than 60 years.

K-9 PALS Board of Directors:
Janelle Ward, President
Cheryl Sterling, Secretary/Treasurer
Christine Grabenstetter, Director at Large
David Caffo, Director Emeritus
Thom Zimerle, Director Emeritus
Debbie Deem, Director Emeritus

K-9 PALS Board Advisory Associates:
Nate Cultice, CFP, FSA
Andrea Bratt, CPDT, CPDT-KSA
Dan Casaus, DVM
Caitlin Kelly, DVM
Michael Kelly
Ron Faoro, DVM, posthumously

It is with great sadness that Dr. Ron Faoro is no longer with us on this earth, but his spirit lives on for all of us through what he taught us about the true meaning of humane care and welfare for animals.




 
© 2004-2018  K-9 PALS, Inc.
A California non-profit tax-exempt corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS
P.O. Box 60755  ·  Santa Barbara, CA 93160